An ESL student's ability to understand the content of a conversation and connect utterances in meaningful and coherent ways throughout the conversation is most commonly referred to as

Grammatical competence focuses on the knowledge of syntax, morphology, and phonology that enables an individual to construct correct sentences. While essential for language use, it does not address the ability to connect ideas or maintain coherence across conversations—key elements of discourse competence.

Strategic competence involves the ability to use communication strategies to overcome difficulties in understanding or expressing oneself in a language. This includes techniques to compensate for gaps in knowledge or skills but does not specifically pertain to the ability to maintain coherent and meaningful connections throughout discourse.

Sociolinguistic competence deals with the understanding of social context, cultural norms, and appropriate language use in varying situations. Although important for effective communication, it does not directly relate to the ability to integrate utterances into a coherent discourse, which is the primary focus of discourse competence.